Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE EAGLE AND THE MOLE, by ELINOR WYLIE



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE EAGLE AND THE MOLE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Avoid the reeking herd
Last Line: And disembodied bones.
Alternate Author Name(s): Benet, William Rose, Mrs.
Subject(s): Animals; Birds; Eagles; Misanthropy; Moles


AVOID the reeking herd,
Shun the polluted flock,
Live like that stoic bird
The eagle of the rock.

The huddled warmth of crowds
Begets and fosters hate;
He keeps, above the clouds,
His cliff inviolate.

When flocks are folded warm,
And herds to shelter run,
He sails above the storm,
He stares into the sun.

If in the eagle's track
Your sinews cannot leap,
Avoid the lathered pack,
Turn from the steaming sheep.

If you would keep your soul
From spotted sight or sound,
Live like the velvet mole;
Go burrow underground.

And there hold intercourse
With roots of trees and stones,
With rivers at their source,
And disembodied bones.




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